Challenging Statistical Claims in the Media: Course and Gender Effects

• Activity Number: 168
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Monday, August 5, 2013 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Statistical Education
• Author(s): Rose Martinez-Dawson*+
• Companies: Clemson University
• Keywords: statistical literacy ; gender effects ; media claims

Abstract

In today's data driven world, information is readily available and easily obtained. Some of this information may be misleading or inaccurate. Statistical literacy involves critically evaluating and questioning statistics encountered in everyday life. The purpose of this study was to evaluate students' questions (challenges) concerning statistics encountered in everyday life and how these challenges differed before and after taking a course focused on statistical literacy. One hundred forty-four students were given three media articles at the beginning and end of the semester to indicate questions they had concerning statistics cited in the articles and explain why these questions were important to ask. Significant changes in the pattern of topic category responses were observed post-course for each media article, and differences in responses of topic categories by gender were also observed.